Drop Downs Answers Disappearing in DC/Reader

[brianm22016038]

I have created an exam with forms in it that we send out to different companies for them to answer.  Just recently after the update, we have noticed several people send back PDFs with the answer reset to the default option for all dropdown options.

The odd thing is that their answers will appear through a web browser or Dropbox preview, just not in the actual Adobe Reader/DC version, which seems very counter intuitive.  As soon as we download the pdf from Dropbox, the dropdown options resets itself to the default option.

Can someone give me a solution for this?  We are using this for 1,000's of students and it's becoming a pain with all the calls we have to answer because of it.

Thanks.

[brianm22016038]

To add onto this, the dropdown answers only appear during preview mode, so through Dropbox, Website Browsers, and Print Preview.  Also, if saved under a different name and then opened up in a browser, the original answers selected appear.  So that means it's retaining the data, just not displaying it. 

Please help with this as this is a clear glitch with Adobe.

[try67]

Actually, it's most likely due to a problem with the application they used to open the file. Ask them what they used. I'm betting it was not Adobe Reader (or Acrobat), but something like Apple Preview or inside a browser like Chrome or Firefox.

[brianm22016038]

Hi try67,

Yes, we're aware of those issues.  It can't be using Chrome or Firefox because she saved the workbook answers, and in web browsers, you can't save answers in Browsers.  Also, all the other answers are saved/viewable, aside from the dropdown boxes.

I also checked with the student and they were using a PC and she confirmed she was using Adobe Reader to fill out the document.

So to summarize:

She was using a PC

She filled out/saved the workbook in Adobe Reader

All answers are saved, but dropbox form questions don't appear in Adobe Reader/Pro

All answers can be seen, including dropdown form questions, in preview mode, when printed, or viewed in a web browser

For example, when I view the filled out document in Adobe, all dropdown boxes appear as the default option, but when I open it in a web browser, the dropdown boxes have the select answer the student gave.  So the document is saving the data, Adobe just isn't allowing that selected data to be seen in its own product.  Which all just seems counter intuitive.

Any help would be appreciated.

[try67]

What makes you say that you can't save a filled-in form in a browser? I believe it's possible in most of them.

Ask them for screenshots, don't trust their word on it. Not because they're lying just because many people think they use one thing when in fact they use another. We've seen it happen many times in the past.

[cffi81809177]

I am having this problem as well. When users are filling a form using Adobe Reader, the will select an option on a dropdown, click into a different field, and the dropdown option will reset to default. No luck googling either.

[try67]

Are you sure they're opening the file in Reader? We have seem it happen time after time that people assumed they were opening it in Reader because it's installed on their computer, but in fact were opening it inside another application, like their browser.

[cffi81809177]

I have seen it with my own eyes happen in Adobe Reader unfortunately.

[try67]

Ask them to verify the application they're opening the file in by sending full-window screenshots of it.

[cffi81809177]

I was with the user at their desk.

[try67]

Sorry, I thought you said you havn't seen it with your own eyes...

In that case, could you share the actual file with us (via Dropbox, Google Drive, Adobe Cloud, etc.)?

[Rebolt82]

Hi,

Did you get a solution for this?

I have the same issue.

Tried to talk with Adobe, but they seem not to give an suggestion on how to fix.

But just said it must be that file specifically.

Either way, so far Adobe Pro has been a waste of money.

Best,

[Bernd Alheit]

Can you share the form?

[AndyLeigh]

Any answers yet? I'm having the same issue. When the form was created in InDesign it seemed fine. Then I exported the form to a pdf. A user can select an option from the drop down, but immediately upon clicking to the next field option, the selection reverts to a default value. 

Any help is appreciated

[Bernd Alheit]

Can you share the form?

[AndyLeigh]

I had to remove a lot of sensitive information from the form, but you can see the general idea in the document I'm sharing. In the two areas where it asks for the user to be able to override controls, there is a dropdown with a blank option, yes, and no. Any time a selection is made, it reverts back to the blank. I tried removing the blank option and it does the same thing, just with a the "no" option. 

https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:e3a8f518-ab60-483a-8a84-e94d060b49e...

I'm using version 2020.009.20063

[Amal.]

Hi AndyLeigh

We are sorry for the trouble.

++ Adding to the discussion

Would you mind sharing the version of the Adobe Acrobat/Reader DC being used?

To check the version go to Help > About Adobe Acrobat/Reader DC.
A new version (20.009.20063) is now available. Please update the application go to Help > Check for updates and see if that helps.

Regards

Amal

[AndyLeigh]

I had to remove a lot of sensitive information from the form, but you can see the general idea in the document I'm sharing. In the two areas where it asks for the user to be able to override controls, there is a dropdown with a blank option, yes, and no. Any time a selection is made, it reverts back to the blank. I tried removing the blank option and it does the same thing, just with a the "no" option. 

https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:e3a8f518-ab60-483a-8a84-e94d060b49e...

I'm using version 2020.009.20063

[Bernd Alheit]

The list boxes are working in Acrobat Reader DC and Adobe Acrobat DC.

[AndyLeigh]

The boxes are working for me as well, but only when I use the tab/arrow keys to make a selection. If I, or a coworker, open the form and attempt to use a mouse to choose one of the options and then click on the next box, it reverts. 

[Bernd Alheit]

Try dropdown lists.

[AndyLeigh]

Thanks. The form was created in InDesign and that's how the lists export. I'm trying to not have to recreate a bunch of form fields in Adobe. I just can't figure out why this is even happening. If it works with the keys/tab it should certainly work for the mouse/click

[Bernd Alheit]

It works when you mouse click on the selected option.

[AndyLeigh]

The current form does? Might you have an idea as to why it's not working that way on our end? I have tried it on my computer and several coworkers have tested the form with the same issue.

[Bernd Alheit]

Yes.